Interpersonal relationships are all about compromise. I'll cook, you clean. I'll be designated driver this weekend, you can do it next weekend. Still, quite possibly the biggest source of compromise – or conflict – is choosing where to go for dinner. Fortunately for residents of and visitors to south Sydney, this is all about to change. The culprit? Highfield Caringbah, the Sutherland Shire's first "vertical pub", offering up a bevy of themes and dining options under one roof. With their newest offering, the Feros Group have quite literally built on the success of Ugly Pizza and Huxley's Sports Bar. Both existing venues remain on the ground floor at the MacKay street site, with new venues The Public House and The Botanical opening up top. No-fuss joint Ugly pumps out its New York-style pizzas for dine in or takeaway. Huxley's, meanwhile, serves as a shrine to the USA, offering up diner staples – burgers, hot dogs, mac'n'cheese – to an overlapping soundtrack of American sports playing on dozens of TVs. On the middle floor, The Public House sticks to standard Aussie pub traditions: a TAB, domestic and craft beers on tap, and a menu featuring good old schnitties and steaks. And if you're looking to add a touch of elegance to the evening, rooftop hangout The Botanical offers a dedicated cocktail bar, a living green wall and food prepared on a Japanese-style Robata grill — not to mention spectacular views of the city skyline. Find Highfield Caringbah at 22-24 MacKay Street, Caringbah. For more information, visit their website.
We all love hanging out with our best friends, especially over a few drinks, but Bar Planet is taking things to the next level with the launch of BFFs: a new hyperlocal cocktail menu inspired by the Inner West and its standout producers. Crafted in collaboration with three of its favourite neighbours – A.P. Bakery, Goldstreet Dairy and Rooftop Bees – the crew has combined their skill behind the cocktail bar with top-notch bread, cheese and honey to shape something new. The first of these cocktails is the Buzzcut, made in collaboration with Rooftop Bees. Using hot honey sourced from four rescued bee colonies that now call Carriageworks home, this headline ingredient has been fermented with chilli for a week. Then, it's combined with Hendricks gin, gentian and lime to produce a sweet heat with a slight earthy bitterness. Next up is the Velo, a cognac sour with toasty notes conceived alongside the bread savants at A.P. Bakery. Pairing buttered cognac with Pineau fortified wine, lemon and egg whites, the special ingredient is the bakery's baguette syrup. Sure, it sounds a bit mad, but according to Bar Planet, this foamy creation "tastes like Paris by way of Enmore," so consider us more than a little intrigued. Rounding out this trio is the Scarlett, a creamy spritz featuring sour whey from Goldstreet Dairy. Expect rhubarb-infused pinot grigio and Bar Planet's one-of-a-kind infinite spirit – the world's first martini master stock – paired with the cheesemaking byproduct to add a silky texture and zingy flavour. While it almost goes without saying, the BFFs menu will undoubtedly add something different to your next cocktail night. "We are cementing our place in the beating heart of the Inner West," says Jeremy Blackmore, Creative Director at MUCHO Group. "We're working with some of our absolute favourite producers to make some of our best drinks yet. These are the kinds of drinks that you won't be able to get at any other bar on earth." Different as they may be, this tribute to the Inner West certainly falls within Bar Planet's usual wheelhouse of weird and wonderful cocktails. You can try them alongside the venue's signature lineup, which includes the Bengal, a fruity tropical highball, or the Sunbeam, a zesty, sour-leaning aperitif. Then, if you know your way around a martini, you're invited to build your own from a suite of ingredients. As the venue says, the drinks are designed as "almost memories," where each feels familiar but offers just enough surprise. The BFFs menu is available now at Bar Planet, 16 Enmore Road, Newtown. Head to the website for more information. Images: Dexter Kim / Nikki To
It's official, Glebe Markets have been saved with a new interim manager stepping in to stop its closure, after longtime custodians David and Naomi McCumstie decided to step away earlier this month. Following citywide sadness at the news and a petition to save the longstanding community market, Organic Food Markets has now stepped up to the plate. The market will take a week off on Saturday, March 4 for schoolyard maintenance at Glebe Public School before it officially recommences under its new manager on Saturday, March 11. Organic Food Markets has confirmed it will continue to run Glebe Markets weekly, making minimal changes to the system that's made the Sydney institution so popular. Known for its variety of second-hand clothes stores as well as food trucks, live music and local artisans, the market has been run out of the Glebe Public School by the McCumsties for more than 30 years. As well as a beloved weekend activity for many Sydneysiders, it also plays an integral role for its regular stallholders, local Glebe businesses and the public school, which relies on money from the markets. Glebe will join Organic Food Markets' current family of events that includes weekly markets across Sydney and Newcastle including Marrickville, Kings Cross, North Narrabeen, Hornsby and the Central Park Farmers' Market. "Organic Food Markets have had a long and cordial relationship with David and respect the McCumstie's decision to retire after almost three decades," the statement from the organisation reads. Glebe Markets' regular traders, as well as anyone looking to organise a stall at upcoming editions of the markets, need to head over to the Organic Food Markets website and register as soon as possible. [caption id="attachment_707153" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Flickr.[/caption] Organic Food Markets has been appointed interim manager of the Glebe Markets. The weekly market will be closed on Saturday, March 4, before it returns to regular programming from Saturday, March 11.
Since long before holidaying in our own backyards and socialising outdoors as much as possible became the status quo, Sydney has been a mighty fine city to see via foot. You can mosey around in general, or you can put one foot in front of the other near the water — and now you can also stroll the entire 11 kilometres that makes up the Barangaroo foreshore walk, too. Being able to wander along this part of the harbour isn't new, but it has just received a pivotal upgrade thanks to the opening of a just-added 300-metre walkway. Launched this week, on Monday, April 12, it's the very last piece of the walk. So, you can now meander from Woolloomooloo to the Anzac Bridge without stopping. You'll also be stepping along a spot that was once completely inaccessible to Sydneysiders. The new curved path hugs the harbour, spans 15 metres in width and turns the new section into a tree-lined boulevard, with landscape architect Peter Walker — who also worked on Barangaroo Reserve — behind the design. Completing the lengthy walk, the new stretch of path follows last year's new amphitheatre-style boardwalk at Waterman's Cove — which extended the Wulugul Walk that runs along The Streets of Barangaroo's 13 eateries. Come late 2022, the Waterman's Cove part of Barangaroo foreshore will also welcome a pavilion made from recycled Sydney oyster shells, which'll make quite an eye-catching addition to your future strolls, jogs and bike rides. The full Barangaroo foreshore walk is now open, stretching from Woolloomooloo to the Anzac Bridge. For more information about the area, head to the Barangaroo website.
If you love cheese, Formaggi Ocello won't leave you disappointed. It has a whopping selection of more than 200 cheeses, from well-loved French classics to lesser-known imports, as well as an impressive stock of cured meats, cheese equipment, truffle products, condiments and other deli delights. Fellow gourmands are invited to join monthly in-store cheese and wine nights, where owners Sogna and Carmelo Ocello pull out six farmhouse cheeses with matching wines. If you'd rather just pop in for a wine, you can do that, too — aperitivo hour runs daily from 4pm and you get a free cheese tasting plate when you buy a glass of wine. Images: Caitlin Morahan.
Fashion fanatics, listen up: an internationally acclaimed Gucci exhibition has arrived in Australia for the first time, coming to the Powerhouse Museum Ultimo for a two-month run. Gucci Garden Archetypes has unveiled a series of maximalist campaigns created by the recently stepped-down Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele, all of which can be discovered at the Powerhouse until Sunday, January 15. First opened in Florence last year, the exhibition celebrates Gucci's 100-year anniversary and has previously enthralled visitors during pop-ups in Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul. "I thought it was interesting to accompany people in these almost eight years of adventure, inviting them to cross the imaginary, the narrative, the unexpected, the glitter. So I created a playground of emotions that are the same as in the campaigns, because they are the most explicit journey into my imagery," says Michele. The immersive multi-sensory exhibition includes a network of themed spaces, such as a scented flower room; a graffitied corridor reminiscent of the Pre-Fall 20218 Gucci campaign; a floor-to-ceiling display of cuckoo clocks, ceramics and Marmont handbags; a mirrored labyrinth; and a recreation of an LA subway carriage like that used in Michele's first campaign, Fall Winter 2015. "Alessandro Michele never fails to push us forward into diverse, contemporary visual worlds that we have yet to imagine. Powerhouse is thrilled to partner with Gucci to present the exclusive Australian premiere of Gucci Garden Archetypes," says Powerhouse Museum Chief Executive Lisa Havilah. Tickets are free but should be booked through the Powerhouse website. Images: Tyrone Branigan
Gaia Retreat, located among the lush greenery of Bundjalung country, is a picturesque haven worlds away from the bustle of city life. The boutique accommodation offers a highly flexible retreat experience, so you can enjoy the gorgeous facilities as you please — whether that's complete sloth-like relaxation or a health and wellness kick. It's worth a visit to simply soak up the beautiful scenery, but there is plenty more to enjoy here, from day spa treatments and lounging by the pool to practicing yoga and getting a naturopathic consultation. Plus, don't forget about the award-winning food on offer. Throughout your stay, you'll indulge in delicious organic wine and food, with all produce grown on-site or sourced from local producers within the Northern Rivers region.
Finding a beach Down Under isn't hard. According to Tourism Australia, this nation girt by sea has 11,761 such coastal spots. But each year, only one is named the best beach in the country by beach expert Brad Farmer AM. When you stop being envious about his dream job, you can use his selection as travel inspiration for this year's sun-, sand- and surf-fuelled getaways. Your 2024 destination: Squeaky Beach. The Wilsons Promontory spot in Victoria has taken top place on Farmer's annual top ten for the year ahead, after South Australia's Stokes Bay, which is located on Kangaroo Island, earned the honours for 2023. Past winners include Misery Beach in Western Australia in 2022, Cabarita Beach in New South Wales in 2020, Nudey Beach on Fitzroy island in Far North Queensland in 2018 and Cossies Beach in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, in the Indian Ocean, in 2017. [caption id="attachment_939139" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Watson[/caption] Squeaky Beach emerging victorious as Australia's Best Beach for 2024 is the first time that a Victorian beach has placed number one on the ranking. Farmer, who is one of Tourism Australia Friends of Australia, called the location 220 kilometres out of Melbourne — which is a three-hour drive — an "acoustic squeaky-clean delight of compressed quartz and silica sand underfoot" and "one finely tuned favourite to its many fans". "The crashing waves and clear waters of Squeaky Beach stretch for some 700 metres, gracefully enclosed by impressively coloured granite boulders at either end. It's also one of the region's most photographed beaches for good reason. It's simply beautiful," Farmer continued. He also gave Victoria's Bells Beach an honourable mention after his first-place pick — which would make the OG 1991 Point Break proud. [caption id="attachment_939141" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kramer Photography[/caption] Officially in second spot on 2024's list is The Farm in Shellharbour in New South Wales, followed by Tasmania's Cockle Creek, which is Australia's southernmost beach, in third. Spreading the love around the mainland and beyond, Farmer's fourth placing went to Madfish Bay in Western Australia, his fifth to Pulu Blan Madar Island in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and sixth to Cylinder Beach on Queensland's North Stradbroke Island. Lord Howe Island's Lagoon Beach came in seventh, South Australia's Long Beach in Robe sits at eighth and Queensland's Cow Bay in Far North placed ninth. Tenth takes the rankings to the Northern Territory, to Casuarina Beach in Darwin. [caption id="attachment_939131" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @jmax[/caption] "The list of 'best beaches' attracts headlines both here in Australia and in key international tourism markets around the world. That's why I take the chance to uncover some of those destinations that might not be well-known but are home to some of Australia's and, in my opinion, the world's best beaches," explained Farmer. "The year's list includes at least one beach from each state, the Northern Territory and even an Australian external territory, which is well off the coast of Australia, but the search for best beaches extends far and wide and one island on the far-flung archipelago caught my eye." [caption id="attachment_939136" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Colby James[/caption] "Of course all of the 'best Australian beaches' for 2024 are worthy of the recognition and so are the many thousands of others in Australia and off our coast, making it a tough, sometimes controversial job to come up with a list of just ten but it has been an honour to do just that once again," Farmer said. You know what to do from here: start making holiday plans that involve your togs. Given the spread of spots across the top ten in the 2024 Australia's best beach list, Aussie in every state and territory except the Australian Capital Territory can hit up one of the year's picks without travelling interstate. For motivation to travel further afield, though, you can't get much better. [caption id="attachment_939137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaxon Roberts[/caption] The Top Ten Best Australian Beaches for 2024: 1. Squeaky Beach, Wilsons Promontory, Victoria 2. The Farm, Shellharbour, New South Wales 3. Cockle Creek, South East, Tasmania 4. Madfish Bay, Great Southern, Western Australia 5. Pulu Blan Madar Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands 6. Cylinder Beach, North Stradbroke Island, Queensland 7. Lagoon Beach, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales 8. Long Beach, Robe, South Australia 9. Cow Bay, Far North, Queensland 10. Casuarina Beach, Darwin, Northern Territory [caption id="attachment_939133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @in focus studios[/caption] [caption id="attachment_939134" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @_markfitz[/caption] [caption id="attachment_939135" align="alignnone" width="1920"] @visualjon[/caption] For more of Brad Farmer's beach tips, head to his Best Australian Beaches website. Top images: travelsoftnt, @lillypollard and P Fleming. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Following the welcomed success of Bondi's vegan gnocchi spot Peppe's, owners Joe Pagliaro and Grace Watson made the decision to close down their plant-based fine diner Paperbark and use the space to spread the gnocchi love. While it wasn't an easy decision, Peppe's Osteria gives the team the opportunity to go a little bigger, with a larger laidback dining space welcoming more customers to enjoy fresh pasta and salads and minimal-intervention wine. You'll be eating and drinking these surrounded by white curtains and lots of plants, while sitting on emerald couches and grey banquettes, and wiping the rich tomato sauce from the corners of your mouth with ruby napkins. [caption id="attachment_763606" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] Keeping with a similar format of a small selection of antipasti, a handful of pasta dishes, a few salads and two sweet options, the food here is prepared by the head chef of Bondi's Peppe's, Joel Benetts. Bennetts trained under renowned chef Grant King at Pier Rose Bay, and later helped King open the two-hatted Gastro Park, and his resumé boasts stints at Three Blue Ducks and Japanese boutique hotel AIR Myoko, where he served vegan degustations to the masses. As with the Bondi original, the pasta at Waterloo is all made in-house daily, and the sauces change regularly. Recent varieties include pesto with green pea, pomodoro and the gnocchi al funghi. Keep an eye out for the return of the gnocchi bianchi, which is sauced in cauliflower purée and three-hour porcini stock reduction, then topped with oyster mushrooms, crisped sage and toasted pangrattato-style breadcrumbs made with Iggy's bread. There's also the very popular lasagne. [caption id="attachment_763602" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] Salads and sides are simple but punchy, and currently include a fennel, rocket and rockmelon number, a fresh mix of cos lettuce, cucumber and herbs, and a serving of broccolini with salsa verde. The house tiramisu is, thankfully, a permanent fixture on the menu, and will be joined by regular dessert specials like the coconut and vanilla panna cotta with torched fig, orange and Campari syrup. On the drinks side, the wine list focuses on local and sustainable drops, as well as Italian labels courtesy of Fun Wines — an Aussie wine importer run by Giorgio de Maria (of the now-closed 121BC and Vini). You can get a bottle of SA rosé for a very reasonable $60, go big (literally) with a 1.5 litre bottle of Yetti & the Kokonut or enjoy a zero-sulphur montepulciano from Abruzzo. It all goes well with gnocchi. Find Peppe's Osteria at 8/18 Danks Street, Waterloo. It's open from 6–10pm daily. Images: Trent van der Jagt
If your long-tortured eyebrows are in need of some loving attention, head to Honeytusk Eyebrow Studio's flagship shop in Rozelle. Whether you're sporting a couple of untamed caterpillars or a pair of 90s-style pencil lines, you can figure out your eyebrow future in consultation with these pros. A standard sculpt can be achieved through tweezing, waxing or threading, with colouring and brow lamination (which involves brushing and setting the brows for a more defined look) also on offer. You can give your lashes some love here, too, with colouring and extensions available as well as a lash lift that shapes and curls your natural eyelashes.
Running from October 16 through January 31, 2021, the annual Tarnanthi program brings together the best of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art from around the country and showcases it across multiple Adelaide venues — with the largest exhibition taking centre stage at the Art Gallery of South Australia. The guiding theme for this year's edition is Open Hands, which pays tribute to the role of senior artists who share cultural knowledge with the younger generations; it also calls attention to the unseen cultural work of women in Indigenous communities. Including works from 87 artists, the exhibition features mother-daughter collaborations, grand installations, talks and tours — all of which aim to fully immerse visitors in the rich culture of Australia. Online art sales and other AGSA activations are on the docket, too. [caption id="attachment_792442" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saul Steed[/caption] Images: Tarnanthi: Open Hands installation by Saul Steed
If you ever made it along to one of Donny Benet's dinner-and-show affairs back in 2013, you'll know that the man has an eye for extraordinary talent. Wanting to immortalise the creative collaborations that emerged from those nights, he invited his favourite guests to the legendary Donnyland Studios to write and record an album. Dubbed Weekend at Donny's, it's an epic, multi-dimensional LP featuring some of Sydney's hottest songwriters and performers: Jack Ladder, Kirin J Callinan, SPOD, Geoffrey O'Connor, Isabella Manfredi (The Preatures) and Elana Stone. According to Donny, the album was put together over the course of a year. "Amongst international touring, recording, television appearances and small business openings... love, despair, hope, risk, chivalry, incarceration, marital aids, admiration, love triangles, European fashion and libraries are played out." This Friday and Saturday night, Weekend at Donny's will be launched with a huge show at Brighton Up Bar. The Donny Benet Show Band will lead the evening, with guest slots from Jack Ladder, SPOD, Geoffrey O'Connor and Elana Stone. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6WFOWcqwgH4
A coastal-chic wine bar located in Avalon, Bar Elvina is the place to go for a glass of vino and some freshly shucked oysters after a day at the beach. Opening in early 2021, the bar is the brainchild of two hospo legends, Andy Emerson (Acme) and chef Jesse McTavish (North Bondi Fish). It's safe to say that these two know what they're doing. Here, high heels and chinos are eschewed for Birkenstocks and shorts, but the laidback dress code doesn't translate to the food and drinks on offer. On the wine list, you'll only find drops that the owners love and are also inspired by the ocean, either by their terroir, varietal or style. The concise cocktail list is worth a look at, too, with a strong focus on native Aussie ingredients. Food-wise, think snacks like raw yellowfin tuna tostadas ($8 each); oysters served either natural or with an apple cider mignonette ($5 each); and salt and pepper Hawkesbury River school prawns served with sumac mayo ($16). For small and large plates, expect dishes such as seawater-brined broccoli with almond hummus, fermented chilli, almonds ($20); 0ctopus with green tomato and jalapeño ($24); whole snapper with miso lemon butter sauce and warrigal greens ($55); and hangar steak ($49). Still hungry? Order the roasted apple, liquorice and gingerbread bombe ($18) for dessert. If you've got a birthday or special celebration coming up, Bar Elvina can be hired to host your private event, too. Images: Steven Woodburn
Now that winter has arrived, booking a trip to your nearest après-ski scene might seem like the move. Yet if the surf is more your style, the crew at Maple Social Club has an event for you. Taking place across 2–5.30pm on Saturday, June 7, their latest creative and low-pressure community get-together is headed to RAFI URBNSURF. Popping up for one session only, Après-Surf is a golden-hour gathering of snacks, spritzes and socialising at Sydney's man-made surf precinct. At its perch overlooking Sydney Olympic Park, the much-loved restaurant's terrace is prime position for a sunny afternoon with drinks and share plates to match. At an event that's being presented in collaboration with RAFI, you can expect an extended happy hour and cuisine that'll make it easy to make new connections with people from across town. Best of all, Maple Social Club has organised transport for the day, meaning that you can stress less about figuring out the logistics. Just arrive at Central Station at 1.50pm, then board a private bus bound for the URBNSURF precinct. After soaking up the food, drinks and views of surfers carving up the waves, the same bus will whisk you back to Central Station by 5.30pm, leaving plenty of time to make the most of Saturday night. RSVP is essential.
Since 2008, 4 Pines Brewing Company have carefully cemented themselves as one of Australia's premier brewing companies. The team behind the craft beer brand has never hidden their support and loyalty to Sydney's north, and in particular, the Manly and northern beaches areas — the home of their original microbrewery. So, it should come as no surprise then that 4 Pines earlier this month opened their third venue, 4 Pines Manly Underground. Taking over the old Out of Africa space, the eatery is a little different from their brewpub upstairs, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a menu put together by 4 Pines executive chef Rob de Paulo. He's stepped away from the classic pub meals offered upstairs in the BrewPub, instead focusing on seasonal ingredients and fresh produce. Open from 7am till 10pm each day, the venue is food-oriented with beers coming from upstairs (naturally), with booth seating and a log cabin-like feel. Pallets from their Brookvale have been used extensively in the design. But that's not all. 4 Pines have also announced the roll out of two other completely different and varied new venues within the next 12 months, all north of the Harbour Bridge. "The time has come for 4 Pines to launch some hospitality spaces," says 4 Pines publican Ged Dore. "We looked at some places over on the west coast of America, and these brands had venues along three different beaches. When we got back to Australia we looked at potential spaces in Sydney, the inner west, then in Melbourne but we just kept coming back to the northern beaches." Next up, Newport is set to become the home of barrel-aged beer, with the opening of the 4 Pines Newport Barrelhouse. The idea of barrel-aged beer is something 4 Pines has been fine tuning for the past few years, and are ready to showcase with the opening of this specialty venue in the early summer. The venue, located in the heart of Newport on Barrenjoey Road, is being touted as the first of its kind in the state, if not Australia. Finally, for those who enjoy a beer with breakfast, a 4 Pines beer and bread concept will open in the Glen Street Theatre in Belrose in 2017. Perfect for a for a drink and dinner pre- or post-theatre, 4 Pines Belrose will offer beer and freshly baked bread, including the stout bread which has been baked in the Manly BrewPub since 2010. Even though 4 Pines also have a brewery in Brookvale which uses an old truck as a bar, Dore isn't convinced they've covered all bases in the Northern Beaches area just yet though. "The [Manly] cinema has been closed for over two years, so we'd love to own the cinema so we could do 4 Pines movies. We'd love to be able to do a 4 Pines showcase arthouse cinema — you're allowed to dream aren't you?" says Dore. 4 Pines Manly Underground is located at 43-45 E Esplanade, Manly and is open daily from 7am till 10pm. For more info, visit 4pines.com.au.
Two years since opening in Surry Hills, Bar Suze has announced it will be taking part in a well-worn hospitality tradition: pivoting. The small Foveaux Street bar that has been specialising in natural wines and Swedish snacks will shift its focus at the start of July and reopen as B.S. Pasta Palace. To celebrate the venue's time as Bar Suze and mark its evolution, the team is throwing a midsommar party on Sunday, July 2. This walk-in-only celebration will feature plenty of natural wine, signature Bar Suze Nordic snacks and DJs setting the soundtrack. It'll be your last chance to get your hands on some of the beloved Swedish eats from the OG Bar Suze menu before things switch up to more Italian-inspired carby delights. Following the party, the venue will go into a four-day hibernation before emerging as B.S. Pasta Palace on Friday, July 7. Plus, make sure to keep your eye out for the Bar Suze team's next venture, with owners Greg Bampton and Phil Stenvall also opening a new venue in Potts Point. Named Caravin, this 30-ish-seat French wine bar will arrive in the former Dumpling & Beer site next to Piccolo Bar on Ward Street sometime in spring. [caption id="attachment_907152" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bar Suze, Nikki To[/caption] Images: Nikki To.
The once pretty rowdy Maroubra Bay Hotel is now the more sedate and super-friendly Bay Hotel and Diner. It's a chilled-out, family-lovin' space, with a corner for 'nippers' and a wide-reaching menu, starring seriously big burgers and a 'schnitzel haus'. The emphasis is on big flavours and generous portions. Skip by on Sundays for the weekly roast. For healthy serving of highly Instagrammable views with your pub grub, this joint boasts serious a panoramic vista of the beautiful, utterly-untamed-by-the-city Maroubra Beach.
When Sydney's beaches began to close down due to COVID-19, it started with Bondi, with hordes of people continuing to flock to the popular spot despite the implementation of strict social-distancing requirements. Now, the city is beginning to shut down access to its coastal walks as well, with the iconic Bondi to Bronte route now out of bounds in the interest of public safety. Announcing the decision in a statement, Waverley Council advised that it made the call to close the Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk for the expected reason — because large groups continued to visit the area. "Unfortunately, closing the coastal walk was the only way the council could help ensure that public health orders could be maintained along the walk," said Mayor of Waverley Paula Masselos. "Council is trying to balance the needs of our community, but we need our residents and visitors to adhere to social distancing in our public spaces." [caption id="attachment_719993" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] jipe7 via Flickr[/caption] From today, Waverley Council is blocking all points of access to the coastal walk until further notice. Anyone who tries to mosey along the seaside trail will also find additional signage in place, as well as barricades. Those who attempt to access the walk could also literally pay a price, with Council Rangers having the power to fine people who trespass in closed and signposted areas. And, as they have been for weeks now, the area's beaches remain closed as well. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Dietmar Rabich via Wikimedia Commons.
Kūrumac, the Japanese translation of Kirribilli sister cafe Cool Mac, has arrived in Marrickville serving up Japanese comfort food for breakfast and lunch. Business partners Eugene Leung and Dika Prianata have decorated their new inner west cafe with a colourful mural from local artist collective Ar-chive, which celebrates both old and new Japan by combining a traditional food stall with a vending machine selling gyoza, bonsai and sneakers. This melding of old and new is a carried throughout the rest of Kūrumac, too. "It's a modern space, but the food is home-cooking," explains Leung. Cooking the food is Cool Mac Chef Junichi Okamatsu, who's serving up twists on some of his favourite childhood dishes, such as the udon bowl, which was inspired by a dish from his home in Yatsushiro. The noodles sit in a hot tasty broth topped with wagyu beef and sesame, and are served with a side of crispy fried shrimp. It's not what you'd normally find on an inner west cafe's breakfast menu, but that's exactly what Kūrumac is all about. As Leung says, the team wants to make food that Japanese locals "would get served for breakfast by their parents". The spicy cod roe piped onto classic thick-cut Japanese white bread, topped with cheese and grilled, is another winner from the menu. For lunch, from 11am, you can grab something a little greener, such as the seared salmon, avocado and yuzu kosho — a spicy and citrusy condiment — salad. During Sydney's long hot days, the cafe has you sorted with loads of cooling Japanese drinks, including iced mugicha (a barley tea); green tea or hojicha (a roasted Japanese tea) milkshakes made with gelato from Newtown's MaPo; and Ume Burger's house-made sodas. Images: Kimberley Low
In 2019, Taco Bell returned to NSW following failed attempts in 1981 (when it was to taken to court by Sydney store Taco Bell's Casa) and 1997. And, where the US Tex-Mex chain is concerned, it seems that the third time is indeed the charm. It opened two more stores in 2020, and now it's slated to add another this year — from Tuesday, May 4 in Green Square. Yes, Sydney is finally getting its second Taco Bell, so Blacktown will no longer be the closest place to get your fix (with the company's other spots located at Newcastle, Albion Park and Ballina). The new eatery will be part of the Infinity by Crown Group retail precinct and sit above Green Square train station. So, you can pick up a Cheesy Chipotle Burrito or Crunchy Taco before you hop on or off public transport — or on your way to or from the new aquatic centre or still-recent library. If the chain's past menus are anything to go by, you can assume that quesadillas, burritos, Crunchwraps, nachos, power bowls and, of course, tacos (including the Gordita Crunch with both a crunchy and soft tortilla) will all be the lineup. It'll be doing dine-in, takeaway and delivery, with the latter particularly great news if you live in the area. Patrons can also expect a dedicated entrance just for picking up deliveries, a self-serve music kiosk and a street-art inspired interior by graffiti artist Simon Murray. And, to celebrate the opening, it'll be doing merchandise giveaways on launch day. Taco Bell still has plenty more stores in the works, too, with the chain saying it'll open a minimum of 40 locations across NSW and the ACT in the next three years — we'll let you know when other spots are announced. Find Taco Bell at Infinity by Crown Group, Green Square, 301–303 Botany Road, Zetland from Tuesday, May 4 — open daily from 10am–10pm.
Beloved Woolloomooloo cafe John Montagu is celebrating ten whole years on Cathedral Street with a series of discounts and parties. Between Monday, November 13–Monday, November 27, the friendly neighbourhood coffee spot is serving up a heap of deals to welcome in anyone who's visited over the past decade. You can catch the full schedule over at the cafe's Instagram, but two dates you want to mark in your diary are Thursday, November 23 and Sunday, November 26. On November 23, you can score your daily coffee for just $2. With the cost of living as high as ever, a gold coin for your morning caffeine hit is a mighty fine deal — especially as John Montagu uses Gabriel Coffee and serves up killer cappuccinos, long blacks and batch brews. If you're an oat or almond milk drinker, you'll just have to add 50 cents for the alternate milk. Come the following Sunday, the cafe is hosting an afternoon party. There will be food from the team's Wolli Creek diner Yan Restaurant — and the party is BYO, so feel free to bring a bottle of your favourite wine. On Saturday, November 25, John Montagu is giving away a $100 voucher and a tenth birthday merch pack to one lucky customer. And, to round out the festivities on Monday, November 27, everyone can come in and pair their morning cup of joe with a slice of birthday cake.
Barangaroo might be known best for its dining scene, but that's not where its offering ends. Positioned on the corner of Shipwright Walk is the latest outpost of fashion and homewares provider Collector Store. The store delivers the same thoughtful design locals have come to love from its original location in Surry Hills. Expect well-made apparel from brands like American Vintage alongside textiles, ceramics and homewares from Tom Dixon and Norman Copenhagen. Forget you're in the big smoke and spend your lunch break exploring this haven of aesthetically pleasing goods.
French chef Claude Bosi and Aussie chef Brent Savage come from opposite sides of the world. Bosi has headed up a string of two-Michelin-starred restaurants across the UK, including Bibendum in Michelin's former headquarters in Chelsea. Meanwhile, Savage, with sommelier Nick Hildebrandt, founded Sydney's Bentley Group — home to Eleven Barrack, Monopole, Bentley Restaurant + Bar, King Clarence and Brasserie 1930. However, the two have a lot in common. Both are big on experimenting with big new flavours, while honouring tradition and pursuing technical excellence. As part of the Vivid Chef Series, their decades of experience will be colliding at Eleven Barrack for just two evenings, on Tuesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 11. Between them, they've come up with a six-course feast where French tradition blends with Aussie creativity. You'll get a rare opportunity to try Bosi's famous Camembert soufflé with black winter truffle. On top of that, Savage will be presenting duck liver choux au craquelin, as well as wagyu consommé and soft-poached quail egg tart. The experience will cost you $185 at lunch and $285 at dinner. Opt for matching at wines at $90 or premium drops for $180.
Primarily an orchard, Glenbernie produces a number of apple and fruit products including juices, jams, apple cider vinegar and ciders (under the label Darkes Cider), which can be purchased from the on-site store, Apple Shack. It also runs tours of the grounds year-round and fruit picking experiences over the warmer months. Visit over November and December to fill your basket with stone fruits, and if you're there between January and April, you'll be able to pick apples straight from the tree — either way, your car snack game will be instantly improved. Bookings are essential and can be made here. Image: Destination NSW
Burger fiends of Sydney scored a new go-to joint back in 2021, when US-born brand Five Guys opened its first Australian store in Penrith. But if you're keen on giving the chain's combination of meat and buns a try in the inner city, get ready to add a trip to George Street to your menu — with Five Guys launching its first Sydney CBD outpost, and second Aussie spot overall, on Monday, June 6. Back in March, the brand revealed that it'd be opening at 383 George Street sometime midyear, if this news sounds familiar. Now, however, it has set the exact launch date. Setting up shop within Spiden House, the new store will span just under 323 square metres, seat 85 burger lovers, and blend the building's heritage-listed features with Five Guys' red-and-white colour scheme. And, it'll be slinging burgs, fries, hotdogs, sandwiches and shakes — aka Five Guys' usual range — obviously. If you're wondering why the brand has built up such a following, the fact that its made-to-order burgers skew in the classic direction is one good reason. These burgs come with two hand-formed patties on toasted buns, with your choice of free toppings (including pickles, grilled mushrooms and jalapeños). Five Guys also does bacon cheeseburgers that add two strips of bacon and two slices of Kraft American cheese as well. Prefer hotdogs, sandwiches (in veggie, cheese or BLT varieties), hand-cut fries (with or without Cajun spices) and vanilla milkshakes? They're all on the menu as well. Don't go thinking that the latter are boring, though — you can add bacon, bananas, peanut butter, salted caramel and even Oreo pieces to your design-your-own beverage. As anyone with allergies should note, though, Five Guys only cooks its fries in peanut oil. The popular chain already has more than 1600 stores to its name across America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia since starting back in 1986 in the Washington, DC area — and has amassed quite the reputation in the process. Even given the number of big-name US burger chains with hefty followings, such as Shake Shack and In-N-Out, it stands out. More local Five Guys stores are in the works, too, in both Sydney and Melbourne before 2022 is out. Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, aka the folks behind The Meat & Wine Co, Hunter & Barrel, 6 Head, Ribs & Burgers, Italian Street Kitchen and Butcher and the Farmer, hold the master franchise for Five Guys in Australia and New Zealand — and while it hasn't revealed where more burgs will be coming everyone's ways just yet, setting up plenty of locations has always been the company's plan. When news that Five Guys was launching stores Down Under first hit in 2020, at least 20 spots were earmarked for Australia alone. Find Five Guys' new Sydney store at 383 George Street, Sydney, from Monday, June 6 — open from 11am–10pm daily.
Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema is back for another year. Inflating their giant screen overlooking Bondi Beach from Thursday, January 19, the organisers have once again put together a program that mixes the best Oscar contenders, special event screenings and retro classics. Setting up on Dolphin Lawn overlooking Bondi Beach, Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema shows new releases and cult classics including Hollywood blockbusters Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Assassin's Creed, Allied, A United Kingdom and Passengers, Golden Globe winner La La Land, and old favourites Clueless, Dirty Dancing and Anchorman. The team are keeping their tried and true formula intact — live music and free ice cream on Sunday nights. There'll also be a fully-licensed bar and gourmet food stands. You can also hire deckchairs, beanbags and blankets, or go all in for a VIP Star Lounge ticket with lounger, a blanket, seat-side service and a glass of wine. For the full program or to buy tickets, head to the website. Check out CP's roundup of Sydney's best openair cinemas over here.
Name a better pairing than soft-centred cookies and ice cream — we'll bet you can't. Luckily enough, Darling Square's latest dessert-centred arrival, Kuki, is serving up just that. Residing in a primetime location, the hole-in-the-wall shopfront joins the ranks of viral dessert brands like Butter Boy and neighbouring local favourites Marrickville Pork Roll, Haidilao Hotpot and Kurtosh. Behind this delightful new venture is a dynamic duo of non-related Duongs, Chris Duong and Dylan Duong. Back in 2017, the pair launched their very own food truck slinging an array of donuts and deep-fried ice cream from a hidden corner of Roselands before opening a flagship store in Strathfield in 2023. Now the Duongs have turned their attention to dessert in a new deliciously rotund form: cookies, which when paired with a swirl of soft serve offers up a primo sweet treat. Think: a textural adventure and melt-in-the-mouth goodness all in one bite. Take your pick from a range of six cookies, spanning from the classic brown butter choc chip to a chewy taro mochi, with mango, vanilla and Earl Grey among its five soft serve flavours. If you're in need of a sweet pick-me-up, there are also scoops of tiramisu on offer, as well as a recently launched secret menu item — a Japanese cheesecake soft serve — available. What more could you need? You'll find Kuki at 9/18 Steam Mill Lane in Darling Square, Haymarket, open from 12pm to 10pm from Tuesday to Sunday.
When it comes to art exhibitions, second chances aren't common. A big-name showcase may display at several places around the world, but it doesn't often hit the same venue twice. French Impressionism is about to become an exception, then, when it returns to the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne in 2025 after initially gracing the institution's walls in 2021. When it was first announced for that debut Australian run, French Impressionism was set to be a blockbuster exhibition — and with 100-plus works featuring, including by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt and more, it's easy to understand why. But 2021 wasn't an ordinary year, like 2020 before it. Accordingly, when this showcase of masterpieces on loan from Boston's renowned Museum of Fine Arts opened Down Under, it was forced to close shortly afterwards due to the pandemic. [caption id="attachment_977038" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Camille Pissarro, French (born in the Danish West Indies), 1830–1903, Spring pasture, 1889, oil on canvas, 60 x 73.7 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Deposited by the Trustees of the White Fund, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Cue another season in this part of the world four years later, thankfully, with French Impressionism returning to NGV International from Friday, June 6–Sunday, October 5, 2025. This is one of the largest collections of the eponymous art movement to ever make its way to Australia, complete with works that've never been seen here before. The exhibition's Australian comeback is the result of "long dialogue and negotiation with the MFA Boston", Dr Ted Gott, NGV's Senior Curator of International Art, tells Concrete Playground. "I think both parties, the NGV and the MFA, realised what a tragedy it was that this fantastic show closed after just a few weeks in 2021 due to COVID." [caption id="attachment_977037" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French, 1841–1919, Woman with a parasol and small child on a sunlit hillside, c. 1874–76, oil on canvas, 47.0 x 56.2 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Bequest of John T. Spaulding Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] "It's just extraordinary that it was sort of stuck here in aspic for months with the doors locked, because COVID also froze all the flights, so it couldn't go back automatically. So we had this bizarre situation where the whole exhibition was sealed up inside the NGV, and not even staff were allowed in to have a look at it," Gott continues. "Those who saw it in those first few weeks were amazed, and word of mouth got out very quickly that it was an extraordinary show, so we had really good numbers for those first few weeks." [caption id="attachment_977035" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926, Grand Canal, Venice, 1908, oil on canvas, 73.7 x 92.4 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Bequest of Alexander Cochrane Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] Again part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition series, French Impressionism isn't short on gems, especially given the array of artists with pieces on display, which also includes Camille Pissarro and Berthe Morisot. But one certain must-see is the presentation of 16 Monet pieces in one gallery, all in a curved display to close out the showcase — and focusing of his scenes of nature in Argenteuil, the Normandy coast and the Mediterranean coast, as well as his Giverny garden. In total, there's 19 Monet works in French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts' collection (Water Lilies among them), and that still leaves the US gallery almost as many to display in Boston. Another section digs into early works by Monet and his predecessors, such as Eugène Boudin — and Renoir and Pissarro's careers also get the in-depth treatment. As the exhibition charts French impressionism's path across the late-19th century, visitors will enjoy three never-before-seen-in-Australia pieces, with Victorine Meurent's Self-portrait one of them. Ten-plus Degas works, as well as two pieces that were part of the very first exhibition of French Impressionism that took place in 1874, also feature. [caption id="attachment_977042" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926, Water lilies, 1905, oil on canvas, 89.5 x 100.3 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Gift of Edward Jackson Holmes Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] "People just feel excited and uplifted when they look at a glorious impressionist painting, and I think that's why they haven't lost their perennial fascination and value," notes Gott. If you made it along to the showcase's first trip Down Under, you will notice changes, with the exhibition design reimagined for its latest presentation. "I'm sure that those who saw it in 2021 will come back again, and we want them to have a completely different experience. Also, we just didn't want to do the same thing. That's too easy," says Gott. "So we've completely reimagined the design of the show, and also the catalogue has been redesigned. So it'll be completely fresh, and the design is going to be absolutely sumptuous — and that will also make people feel warm and fuzzy inside." [caption id="attachment_977040" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vincent van Gogh, Dutch (worked in France), 1853–90, Houses at Auvers, 1890, oil on canvas, 75.6 x 61.9 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Bequest of John T. Spaulding Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] French Impressionism will display at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne, from Friday, June 6–Sunday, October 5, 2025. Head to the NGV website for more details and tickets. Top image: excerpt of Claude Monet, French, 1840–1926, Grand Canal, Venice, 1908, oil on canvas, 73.7 x 92.4 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Bequest of Alexander Cochrane Photography © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. All Rights Reserved.
On Bram Stoker's pages, as penned into gothic horror history 128 years ago, Count Dracula travels to the UK. It's fitting, then, that Sydney Theatre Company's cine-theatre take on the all-time classic vampire novel is following the same voyage. While pop culture's most-famous bloodsucker ventured from the Carpathian Mountains to London, Kip Williams' inventive interpretation of Dracula is making the trip from Australia — as the theatre-maker's fellow one-actor horror adaptation The Picture of Dorian Gray similarly did. Also shared by Williams' iterations of Dracula and The Picture of Dorian Gray: a big-name actor with international clout stepping into the production's sole role. Sarah Snook (Memoir of a Snail) did the honours for the director's Oscar Wilde adaptation, won an Olivier Award for it, then moved to Broadway with the show and is now nominated for a Tony. Taking the lead for Sydney Theatre Company's dance with the undead: Cynthia Erivo (Poker Face). [caption id="attachment_1004199" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Seliger[/caption] Erivo's West End stint in Dracula will start on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, playing the Noël Coward Theatre — and if you're wondering whether she'll add to her trophy cabinet for the production, any awards for her efforts here will join the stacked lineup of accolades that she's already collected. For 2016's The Colour Purple, she won a Tony. For that musical's album, she won a Grammy. And for performing from it on America's Today Show, she won an Emmy. This year, Erivo was also an Oscar-nominee thanks to Wicked, joining her two past nominations for Harriet. Dracula marks her return to the stage, premiering in London after Wicked: For Good hits cinemas globally in November 2025. Erivo will portray all 23 characters in Stoker's story. Yes, that means Count Dracula, obviously, but also spans vampire hunter Van Helsing, solicitor Jonathan Harker, his fiancée Mina Murray and her friend Lucy Westenra, among other figures. "Returning to the stage feels like a homecoming, one that I've been craving for a long time. To do so with a story as rich, complex and haunting as Dracula offers a beautiful opportunity to delve into character, into myth and into the heart of what makes us human," said Erivo. "From the moment I was asked, I could not get the role out of my mind. Kip's vision is thrilling, terrifying and deeply resonant, offering a chance to sit with not only the darkness in the world, but also the light we fight to hold onto. It's a rare gift for an actor to inhabit so many voices and perspectives in one piece, and I'm honoured to do it for West End audiences in this extraordinary production. The prospect of doing this show scares me and I know it will be a huge challenge. This show will ask everything of me — and I'm ready to give it." Added Williams: "I am thrilled to be returning to the West End to direct my adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula and to collaborate with the extraordinary Cynthia Erivo, as she brings to life the many iconic characters of this much-adored tale." "Our production expands upon Stoker's exploration of the tension between fear and desire, offering a contemporary perspective on the vampire as a monster that lurks not beyond, but within. I am excited to reunite with many of my Dorian Gray collaborators on this project, and it is an immense privilege to have such a singularly gifted artist as Cynthia at the heart of it. I can't wait to share this piece with London audiences, especially in the West End, a place where Bram spent so much of his creative life." Dracula is the third instalment in Williams' trilogy for Sydney Theatre Company, following not only The Picture of Dorian Gray but also The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In Australia, Zahra Newman portrayed every part in this bite of spectacular theatre. Given how popular its namesake, or versions of him, is in cinemas (see: Nosferatu, Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter and Renfield just in the past two years), don't be surprised if Williams' Dracula also gets picked to make a stage-to-screen leap, as The Picture of Dorian Gray has. Dracula will play the Noël Coward Theatre, 85–88 St Martin's Lane, London, from Wednesday, February 4, 2026 — for more information and tickets, head to the production's website. Dracula images: Zahra Newman and camera operator Lucy Parakhina in Sydney Theatre Company's Dracula, 2024, Daniel Boud ©.
One of Australia's top restaurants has finally landed in Sydney. But, Orana in Residence — the local outpost of Adelaide's Restaurant Orana — is only here for a month. Taking over the former Longrain site, the pop-up headed by chef and owner Jock Zonfrillo is serving up a very involved 22-course dinner. It's not a typical meal, but instead more like a very detailed, very tasty journey through Australia. On it, you'll try Tasmanian mountain pepper leaf, Port Lincoln bluefin tuna and buffalo milk from Myponga. You'll also try lots of native ingredients — which aren't a tokenistic nod to Australia's Indigenous culture, but a pillar of Orana. Ten percent of all profits from the $350-a-head dinners go to Zonfrillo's charity The Orana Foundation, which helps foster and preserve Australia's Indigenous food culture. Zonfrillo has also worked with local growers and Eora Nation Elders to source the ingredients. It's groundbreaking Australian dining — some are even calling it life-changing. And you've got three more weeks to make a booking. If you can't make it (or can't afford to splash at least $350 on dinner) we've distilled the 22-course experience into 22 easy-to-consume emojis. [caption id="attachment_738736" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Potato damper and lamb butter[/caption] 1. 🦘 On Commonwealth Street, there's currently a luminescent 'Orana' sign out the front of the otherwise fairly nondescript Orana in Residence building. While at first glance it may look like it's made of rabbit fur, it's actually kangaroo — something I'll be eating a lot of throughout the dinner. 2. 🐕 Inside, I take a seat on a custom-made chair, at a custom-made charred wood table under a sea of native plants hanging from the ceiling. This isn't Longrain anymore, Toto. 3. 👩🏻‍🍳 Despite the meal costing $350, I help prepare the first course. Well, just rotate the potato damper, which is wrapped around a stick of lemon myrtle and cooking on a bed of coals on the table. Once baked, I dip it in an umami-rich lamb butter. This is the only type of bread I ever want to eat again. 4. 🍞 But wait, there's more (*insert bread emoji*). It's on the table in front of us, proofing under glass domes. One of the Orana team members — some flown over from Adelaide, some Sydney hospitality stalwarts — comes to pick it up and take it back to kitchen to bake. They casually mention it's made with wattleseed and wholewheat flour from the Clare Valley. Of course. 5. 🤯 Have you tried emu eggs? As a custard? Topped with bunya nut miso, bunya nut cheese, crispy salt bush, long yam and trout roe? No, neither had I. And it blew my mind. 6. 🍷 The first wine of the evening — carefully selected by Orana wine director Kyle Poole and a handful of top Sydney sommeliers — is not red. But there's not an emoji for that. It's a Deviation Road brut from the Adelaide Hills, created exclusively for Orana. 7. 👽 Wines that follow include a magnum of skin-contact Tangerine Dream by Smallfry, a 2010 cabernet sauvignon from Wynn's, a Lucy Margaux pét-nat and something very tasty and red poured out of a giant harp-shaped decanter. Impressed, I am. 8. 🍺 Speaking of alcohol, the South Australian icon that is Coopers Sparkling Ale also makes it onto the menu — but not in liquid form. (I'll let you know more about that later.) 9. 🍔 The next dish, I kid you not, tastes like a Macca's cheeseburger. Although I'm sure it wasn't what Zonfrillo was going for when he created the roti sandwich filled with veal tongue and leek mayo, it's what he has achieved. And it's definitely not a bad thing. 10. 🐊🐊 Two emojis? Yes, for the 'soup soup' — so good they named it twice. And it is. A crocodile broth with lemon myrtle, aniseed, cinnamon myrtle and Tasmanian mountain pepper leaf, it makes a convincing case for ditching chicken soup in favour of croc. [caption id="attachment_738744" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] 11. 🎵 These two cubes of Port Lincoln blue fin tuna and Millicent beef cheek berry sauce — aptly called Surf and Turf — are so juicy, they almost deserve their own song. 12. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Despite trying to diligently track details of all the courses, I falter. A note in my phone reads: "kangaroo, potato, red wine, goat, decanter". The G.O.A.T dish? A goat carrying a decanter of red wine? Your guess is as good as mine. 13. 🍗 The next dish, however, is impossible to forget. A whole quail, carved at the table. Pick it up and eat it with your hands. Finger lickin' good. I think the Colonel would approve. 14. 🌒 It's 10.30pm. I'm about three hours and 17 (15? 20?) courses in. I hope it never ends. 15. 😭 Confirmed: only two more savoury courses to go. 16. 🍩 Oh, and five desserts. 17. 🤠 !! 18. 🍵 Thankfully, there's a short tea break to digest before we move onto sweets. A tannic jilungin dreamtime tea, harvested by the Nyul Nyul people of Western Australian. 19. 🍦 Remember that SA icon I mentioned? Instead of being served in a long neck, the Coopers Sparkling Ale is served as ice cream inside a paper bark sandwich. Hopefully this makes its way onto the Exeter menu. 20. 🕺 On the topic of Aussie icons, one of them created the playlist: Jimmy Barnes. Thankfully it's not just ten hours of screaming, but a very impressive genre-spanning, 524-song list — and you can listen to all 35 hours of it here. 21. 👵🏻 Finally, the oldest surviving dish on the Orana menu: set Wyponga buffalo milk with strawberry juice and eucalyptus. I can see why they haven't taken it off. 22. ⏮ It's done. I'm finished. I'm full. And I want to do it all over again. Orana in Residence is located at 85 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, from August 16–September 15. It's open for lunch and dinner Thursday–Sunday and you can make your reservation via the Restaurant Orana website.
Call it cinema, the movies, the pictures, the big screen, the silver screen, a glorious excuse to sit in a darkened room without your phone for at least 90 minutes: whichever you prefer, the experience it refers to is usually the same. You hit up your favourite/most convenient theatre, get comfortable in your chosen chair, maybe munch on popcorn or a choc top, and stare at the giant rectangle in front of you as the magic happens. Sometimes the shape that glistens with films is bigger than normal, but there's always just one of them — until now. Meet ScreenX, Australia's first-ever surround-screen viewing experience, which'll use three screens within one movie theatre. Meet the new trend that is multi-projection, too, which is debuting Down Under thanks to Event Cinemas. In the chain's ScreenX's auditoriums, there'll be a trio of screens: one right there at the front where it usually is, plus one over the left wall and another across the right wall. Three walls, three screens, a 270-degree field of view: that's the maths. ScreenX will premiere on the Gold Coast, launching at Event Cinemas Robina on Thursday, August 17; however, that's just the beginning of the rollout. Event Cinemas plans to take the concept nationwide, including hitting Sydney by the time that 2023 is out. The exact details of which other sites will be scoring the ScreenX experience, and when, haven't yet been revealed — but only peering forwards is about to become outdated. If your first question is "how big will this three-screen setup get as it envelops everything that I can see, including my peripheral vision?", the answer is up to 67.7 metres in width. The surround-screen format will be paired with surround sound, of course, to truly immerse two of your senses. And while you watch, you'll be in recliners to get as comfortable as possible. If your burning query is "which films can I see?" — aka which flicks will make you feel like you've walked right into them — the response there is: big blockbusters and epic spectacles. Among the upcoming slate of releases, Dune: Part Two, The Marvels and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are all getting the ScreenX treatment at Robina. The cinema is also looking backwards, too — not literally, just into past hits — with Top Gun: Maverick, Avatar: The Way of Water, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. (Cross your fingers that Barbie and Oppenheimer also get the nod down the line.) "At Event Cinemas, we are dedicated to bringing the best range of cinema experiences to Australian audiences. ScreenX is popular globally and we can't wait for our local audiences to experience it. Our next stop will be Sydney," said Luke Mackey, Director of Entertainment Australia for EVT (which owns Event Cinemas), announcing ScreenX. "We are thrilled to strengthen our partnership with Event Cinemas by premiering Australia's first ScreenX experience," added Don Savant, ScreenX's Chief Business Officer. "Our talented team of ScreenX visual effects artists work closely with the Hollywood studios and top talent to truly differentiate movie going. ScreenX provides an unparalleled experience in a completely unique format to watch the biggest blockbuster films." If there are three giant screens showing each movie in every ScreenX auditorium, patrons will have no excuse not to put their own tiny screen — aka their phone — away while the film plays. Event Cinemas' new ScreenX experience launches at Event Cinemas Robina on Thursday, August 17, with a national rollout to follow — including in Sydney later in 2023. Head to the chain's website for further details.
So far, 2020 has dished up some tough times all round and you're probably busy hunting for ways to up your quota of good days. Sydney couple Jacob Leung and Sarah-Jane Ho certainly were, but they've now landed on the answer. The pair has dreamt up a nifty cure for the pandemic blues with their new feel-good online gift store, Good Day People. This local-loving business is reimagining the humble gift hamper, swapping out the standard bath soaps and boring bickies for fun, quality goodies, and finishing it all off with some bright, mood-boosting packaging. It's serving up a smart edit of gifts and themed gift packages you'd actually want to receive, heroing small Aussie businesses and doing some good for the environment at the same time. If you're forever left stumped by that fussy friend who's 'impossible to buy for', consider this a treasure trove. You'll find 36 different hampers at the moment, including one for 'Gourmet Greg' — packed with Drunken Sailor relish, Maya Sunny honey, a bottle of local wine, Olsson's sea salt and some Bramble & Hedge nougat — and, for 'Perky Pam', an assembly of Bottl(ed) cocktails, Grandvewe sheep whey gin, a pack of cowhide coasters from Mr and Mrs White and Hey Tiger Fairy Wings vegan milk chocolate. The 'Casual Clare' curation comes stocked with some Wondaree macadamias, Poor Toms gin and bottles of Strangelove tonic; while other hampers might star the likes of Noble's luxe maple syrup, batched negronis, Mayde teas, boozy treats from Love Can, a Horse watch, or Hey Bud's moisturising hemp facial mask. There's even a pack for 'Pregnant Polly' including some all-important booze-free rosé. With this lot, it's a safe bet you'll be making someone's day a very good one. Prices start from an easy $49, ranging up to $359 for the top-of-the-line collection. You can say goodbye to the cardboard box and cellophane situation, too. These gift hampers come packaged in your choice of five funky printed cans, splashed with bold colours and cheeky messaging. And as an added bonus, Good Day People also carbon offsets its deliveries, so that ol' planet of ours can have a good day as well. Check out the Good Day People online store to shop the full range of hampers.
Many of us who grew up in Sydney were lucky enough to spend our summers down on the south coast. We'd head down for a camping holiday or weekend escape and no trip was complete without a stop in at Pilgrims for its super-tasty burgers and nourishing dishes. Now, Sydneysiders don't have to travel quite as far to get their fix, because the beloved coastal cafe has just opened in Bronte. First set up in Milton in 1980, Pilgrims is now a five-branch mini-chain. There's of course the OG cafe and the most recent Bronte one, plus a Pilgrims in Huskisson, Corrimal and Cronulla. The opening of the second Sydney location marks Pilgrims's 40th birthday. The reason Pilgrims does so well is that it takes simple vegetarian staples and makes them tastier than you thought possible and hands them to you in generous serves. For breakfast, you can choose from from acai bowls, avo on Iggy's sourdough toast, haloumi stacks and smoothies. Then, for lunch, its famed veggie burgers — think chilli jam and haloumi, curried lentil patties and mixed grain patties — are a must. On Fridays and Saturdays from 5–9pm, you'll find the menu changes a little, with a Mexican feast on offer. Burritos, tacos, nachos and bowls all come stuffed and topped with the likes of beans, spiced potato, cheese and generous dollops of guac. Cocktails, wine and beers are on offer, too. Whether you pick up your food or dine in, you'll be able to catch a glimpse at the bright, airy interior, designed by local architect firm Lane & Grove. Featuring white-washed walls, wicker chairs, light timber benches and lots of greenery, the space echoes the coastal Sydney location, as well as paying homage to the south coast. Pilgrims is located at 127 Macpherson Street, Bronte and is open from 7am–3pm daily and 5–9pm on Friday and Saturday. Updated June 16, 2020.
Watching I Hate Suzie Too isn't easy. Watching I Hate Suzie, the show's first season, wasn't either back in 2020. A warts-and-all dance through the chaotic life, emotions and mind of a celebrity, both instalments of this compelling British series have spun as far away from the glitz and glamour of being famous as possible. Capturing carefully constructed social-media content to sell the fiction of stardom's perfection is part of the story, as it has to be three decades into the 21st century; however, consider this Stan- and Neon-streaming show from Succession writer Lucy Prebble and actor/singer/co-creator Billie Piper, and its blood pressure-raising tension and stress, the anti-Instagram. I Hate Suzie's unfiltered focus: teen pop sensation-turned-actor Suzie Pickles, as played with a canny sense of knowing by Piper given that the 'Honey to the Bee' and Penny Dreadful talent has charted the same course. That said, the show's IRL star hasn't been the subject of a traumatic phone hack that exposed sensitive photos from an extramarital affair to the public, turning her existence and career upside down, as Suzie was in season one. In episodes named after emotions — shock, denial, fear, shame, bargaining, guilt, anger and acceptance — the eight-part initial go-around stepped through the fallout, as unsurprisingly frenzied as it was. Suzie's professor husband Cob (Daniel Ings, Sex Education) reacted with fury and selfishness; their young son Frank (debutant Matthew Jordan-Caws), who is deaf, got swept up in the tumult; and manager and lifelong friend Naomi (Leila Farzad, Avenue 5) endeavoured to save Suzie's career. As I Hate Suzie's name makes plain, sentiment didn't often flow Suzie's way — from Cob, the media, everyone pulling the strings behind her professional opportunities, and also the world at large. In I Hate Suzie Too, she has a new manager Sian (Anastasia Hille, A Spy Among Friends) and a new chance to win back fans, returning to reality TV after it helped thrust her into the spotlight as a child star to begin with. Dance Crazee Xmas is exactly what it sounds like, and sees Suzie compete against soccer heroes, musicians and more. But when I Hate Suzie Too kicks off with a ferocious, clearly cathartic solo dance in sad-clown getup, the viewers aren't charmed. In fact, instantly damaging her already fragile self-esteem, Suzie is the first celebrity voted off. Although arriving a couple of years later, season two takes place six months after the first, which ended with Suzie all over the papers — again — and facing another life-changing development. Spanning three episodes, I Hate Suzie Too is a chronicle of a comeback that isn't quite allowed to be, because that's the relentlessness of being in the public eye when you're a woman who's deemed to have erred. Suzie herself simply wants to work to be able to share custody of Frank, the fight over which is cruel and demanding at the hands of the still-vicious Cob. She wants to dance, too, because that was always her first love. What she gets is the unceasing pressure to be flawless, as dictated by everyone else around her, but with zero interest in what'd truly make her content, safe, secure and fulfilled. Fearless, audacious, honest, dripping with anxiety, staggering in its intensity, absolutely heart-wrenching, always unflinching: with Prebble and Piper reteaming not just after season one, but also 2007–11 series Secret Diary of a Call Girl, all of these terms fit. This is a head-in-your-hands dark dramedy, a reaction incited by everything that comes Suzie's way as well as the choices she makes in response. The demands and decisions don't stop. Everyone always needs something, and needs Suzie to make a call. In this season, that still includes her mother (Lorraine Ashbourne, Bridgerton), father (Phil Daniels, House of the Dragon) and younger sister (Elle Piper), who are now joined by Suzie's first ex-husband Bailey Quinn (Douglas Hodge, The Great), plus former footballer-turned-streamer Danny Carno (Blake Harrison, The Inbetweeners) — both fellow Dance Crazee Xmas contestants, and reasons that the press' attention hones in again and again. With its claustrophobic cinematography constantly staring Piper's way — and, more than that, usually getting closer than anyone would feel comfortable with — I Hate Suzie Too apes what Suzie's fans and detractors are always doing: surveilling intently. No one performs well under such meticulous examination, with the series pondering the exacting standards placed upon well-known figures and the hypocritical reactions when they don't handle the scrutiny faultlessly. Steely eyed but empathetic, it's an exploration of mental health as well, and the fraying space that takes over when the world's wants take precedence over your own. "The team are choosing between you looking needy and you looking miserable,' Suzie is told about Dance Crazee Xmas' behind-the-scenes footage, to which she replies "well, those are my two states". I Hate Suzie Too shows how untrue that comment is, and how deeply it has been internalised. When she starred in a 2016 UK stage production of Yerma, Piper won six Best Actress awards for her performance — all six that she could — but, on-screen, she's never been better than she is in I Hate Suzie's two seasons. All that up-close peering at Suzie's face is revelatory, conveying every twitch of thought and emotion as she navigates the persistent onslaught of everything everywhere all at once, and attempts to package and repackage herself to be all things to all people. The focus and adaptability required on Piper's part is stunning, especially given I Hate Suzie Too's fondness for long, unbroken shots onstage and careening through backstage corridors. She's equally phenomenal whenever Suzie does snatch a quiet moment to herself, usually brimming with uncertainty, and she's heartbreaking when she's just trying to be a mum to her son. Like Suzie, Piper benefits from her own popstar background in I Hate Suzie Too, with Dance Crazee Xmas' dance numbers — for an audience and in rehearsals alike — proving the powerhouse centre of the series' latest run. Spectacularly choreographed and performed, and incisively paired to Suzie's inner state like a musical, they almost tell this season's tale without anything else needed around them. And, they help emphasise that this story isn't Suzie's alone. Too many women in the spotlight, and in general, have been held to unrealistic ideals, then pilloried for not meeting them. Much lingers when I Hate Suzie Too comes to an end in a whirlwind of distress, that fact included. Check out the trailer for I Hate Suzie Too below: I Hate Suzie Too streams via Stan in Australia and Neon in New Zealand.
The end of the world is coming to Mona. Where a library once sat, nothing but sand, water and debris will soon lurk. The Tasmanian gallery is remaining where it is. Dark Mofo is still on the calendar for 2025. And no, after becoming the first museum to receive Wu-Tang Clan's rare Once Upon a Time in Shaolin album on loan earlier in 2024, it isn't dropping the mic and saying goodbye. For a year, however, the inimitable Australian venue will fill part of its interior with a post-disaster landscape, all thanks to a new sculpture by French artist Théo Mercier. Commissioned specifically for the site, DARK TOURISM will display from Saturday, February 15, 2025–Monday, February 16, 2026 in Mona's former library. Using only sand and water, Mercier will create a scene that looks like the aftermath of a disaster — hence the debris — with the piece commenting on humanity's need travel to locations with grim histories, as well as making a statement about planet's changing climate. [caption id="attachment_980537" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gut city punch, 2023, French Pavillon, Prague Quadrennial 2023. Photo: Ondrej Pribyl.[/caption] "What does it mean to sculpt catastrophe, or to construct collapse? Like others who have painted ruins in the past, DARK TOURISM is about sculpting contemporary ruins, which are also natural disasters," explains Mercier. "Faced with this frozen landscape, humans find themselves at the heart of the devastation, as spectators and consumers. But there's something contradictory about this project, something romantic and utopian at the same time. Because the sand allows the world to tremble and shuffle itself in infinite figures." [caption id="attachment_950179" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of the artists and Mona, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] "When Théo was last in Hobart he said he was 'going for a walk'. He walked to the top of kunanyi. He's back, and he'll be doing something just as mad at Mona," added Mona Owner and Founder David Walsh. Crafting DARK TOURISM at the venue, Mercier will be using Tasmanian sand to ponder how people face the worst — in the past and impending — with the tourist trade in Pompeii, Auschwitz, Hiroshima, Paris' catacombs and Port Arthur given as examples of the type of dark tourism that the sculpture will be in dialogue with. "Théo's work is a reminder of the fragile and temporary nature of the world around us, and of life itself," notes Mona's Sarah Wallace, who curated the piece alongside Jarrod Rawlins. "I hope visitors will be drawn in by the intricate detail in this captivating installation, while reflecting on the questions he raises about how we cope with catastrophe." [caption id="attachment_980535" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Théo Mercier, 2023 © Jérôme Lobato[/caption] DARK TOURISM will display at Mona, 655 Main Road, Berriedale, Tasmania, from Saturday, February 15, 2025–Monday, February 16, 2026. Head to the venue's website for more information. Top image: Gut city punch, 2023, French Pavillon, Prague Quadrennial 2023. Photo: Ondrej Pribyl.
Darlinghurst has scored a new Japanese fusion restaurant and bar with Moku. The sleek new venue joins the likes of Besuto and Bay Nine Omakase in Sydney's ongoing movement in omakase-style dining. Moku also boasts the city's first-ever bottomless highball brunch offering. The stellar team behind the latest addition to Darlinghurst's dining scene includes Head Chef Ha Chuen Wai (formerly Sushi E & Sokyo) overseeing the pass, while celebrated mixologist Charles Chang is guiding the drinks program, creating artisan cocktails for guests. Head to Crown Street and you'll easily find the two-storey restaurant — two bright red flags with 'Moku' written across them indicate you've arrived at the entrance. Inside, you'll be greeted by textured brick walls and an intimate dining atmosphere. The name comes from the Japanese word for 'wood', and it lives up to the promise with a fit-out largely consisting of appealing timber furniture, exposed beams and earthy tones. There is also a bar on each level so that you can enjoy the team's creative cocktails from every space. When it comes to the food, Moku heroes Japanese classics and flavours combined with native ingredients for a modern Australian twist. If you're in for lunch, the chirashi lunch offering stars unagi kabayaki — eel, kinshi tamago and jellyfish salad accompanied by finger lime and sencha dashi, the kaisen chirash — a combination of fresh seafood including Mt Cook salmon, yellowfin tuna, scallop and ikura, and wagyu beef carpaccio. For dinner service, small plates feature Sydney rock oysters, corn tempura and prawn katsu sandos. Opt for the larger plates and you'll find buckwheat okonomiyaki (a savoury Japanese pancake), hoijcha-smoked duck breast and octopus paired with chilli miso, wakame vinaigrette and witlof. While the dessert course melds Italian classics with Japanese influences, such as a matcha tiramisu. Looking to try a bit of everything? Or perhaps indecisiveness plagues you. Whatever the case, the banquet menu could present an ideal solution. For $75 per person, you can enjoy the best Moku has to offer, from the chicken and saltbush tsukune and the eggplant and miso dengaku, through to the dessert of the day. Moku's omakase experience is only available on Wednesday and Thursday nights, so you'll want to book in advance. When it comes to the drinks program, the menu is inspired by the different regions of Japan and ranges from the best Japanese whisky, bespoke highballs and a brand-new line of sake. For those with a particular yen for the highball, Moku's bottomless highball brunch is available on Saturdays where you'll enjoy 90 minutes of exciting chef-selected bites to share and free-flowing highballs for $95 per person. Moku's dinner service is 5:30pm-11pm Tuesday to Saturday, and the lunch offering from 12pm to 3pm on Fridays and Saturdays. You'll find the venue at 163 Crown St, Darlinghurst, and you can book your reservation at Moku's booking page or simply walk in.
Fond of Betty's Burgers and its Shake Shack-style burgs? Keen to share the love with someone you love? From Wednesday, July 8 to Sunday, July 12, the chain of eateries wants Sydneysiders to come in for a bite — and to bring their besties in as well. To mark Betty's Bestie Burger Fest, the brand's new Parramatta Square joint will be serving up two-for-one burgers, with a different version on offer each day. Pay $11.50 for the crispy chicken burger — with southern-fried chicken, lettuce, tomato and special sauce — on Wednesday and you'll score a pair of them. The two-for-one offer also applies to the $10.50 Betty's Classic — which stacks angus beef, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and Betty's special sauce on a soft bun — on Thursday, and the Betty's Deluxe, which'll set you back $15 for two, on Saturday. The crispy chicken will be on offer again on Sunday and the 'supreme' version of the chook burger (with cheese and bacon) will be two for $15 on Friday. The two-for-one deal is available from 11am until 9pm, so if you and your favourite fellow burger fiend are especially eager, you could always hit up one for lunch and another for dinner.
The Cricketers Arms is hosting more than 20 of the country's top small and independent natural wine producers for a Sunday afternoon vino party in collaboration with Tasmania's Bottle Tops. Billed as a day of wine, food and music, Bottle Tops will be hitting up Hobart during Dark Mofo on Sunday, June 18 — but, in the leadup, it'll also be bringing a mini version of the culinary festival to Sydney, as hosted at one of the city's most beloved pubs. The day will also be accompanied by snacks from the pub's flash new bistro Chez Crix; the kitchen's General Manager and drinks list curator Jackson Duxbury is a Bottle Tops alum. The French-inspired eats will be included in your ticket price alongside all of the day's tastings. Some of the producers you can sample at the wine-fuelled party include Lofi, Momento Mori, Nikau Farm, Limus, Fox Wine Company and Frankly This Wine Was Made by Bob. Once you've made your way around to chat with all of the winemakers, you can also expect the Bottle Tops team to crack open a few rare wines to pour at the bar. The tastings will be on from 2–5pm for ticketholders, but The Crix isn't one to cut a party short, so you can expect the good times to keep rolling throughout the night — and Marty Doyle will be on the decks providing music until late. After years of throwing wine-tasting parties down in Tassie, this will be Bottle Tops' first time setting up shop for a get-together in Sydney. You don't want to miss it.
In a year that's brought news that more Ted Lasso is on the way and is also delivering a 29-years-later sequel to Happy Gilmore, Stick is the right series for the right moment. There's no American in the UK at its core. None of its characters would prefer to be playing ice hockey, either. It's a golfing underdog story about attempting to score a pivotal tournament spot, however, and hails from the streaming platform that made the world now think of soccer whenever Jason Sudeikis pops up. Stick also knows that warmhearted, big-feeling comedies about the supportiveness of found families make for must-see viewing when they find the right swing — and, with that task, it hits the TV equivalent of a hole in one. The show's namesake is Pryce 'Stick' Cahill, a professional golfer-turned-golf store salesman — and a figure with the type of laidback yet vulnerable demeanour that Owen Wilson (Loki) excels at. He's not the person trying to make it into the sport's big leagues, though. Pryce has been there and done that, reaching number 18 in the world until his career ended unceremoniously with an on-the-green meltdown. Little has looked up for him since, and he starts the series mid-divorce from but still yearning for Amber-Linn (Judy Greer, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) while living in their old shared home. Then, at a driving range, Pryce spies teenager Santi (Peter Dager, Insidious: The Red Door) smashing golf balls off the turf with pure raw talent. Stick, the show, now has its prodigy. Stick, the character, has a mission to help him unlock his talent. Initial roadblocks come courtesy of Santi's disinterest in Pryce's plan, the latter's fondness for a hustle, and needing to convince the 17-year-old's doting single mother Elena (Mariana Treviño, Caras Vemos) that the three of them should take to the road to chance a shot at getting into the amateur championships. Requiring wheels, Pryce then enlists his gruff ex-caddy Mitts (Marc Maron, The Order) to join them, RV in tow. Soon, this quartet adds a fifth member as well, when Santi befriends golf-club bartender Zero (Lilli Kay, Yellowstone). What appealed to Wilson about starring in Stick? "I really liked the idea of a second chance and the idea of needing people to believe in you. And Santi needs that, but Pryce certainly needs it," he tells Concrete Playground. "I find that a moving dynamic and something that I really believe in in real life, that people benefit so much when somebody has some confidence in them. And I just see that — even learning to drive, my dad was uptight and I was more likely to make a mistake with my dad driving because I could feel his energy. And then sometimes you have somebody like my grandmother, just loved me and I could do no wrong, and you'd sometimes do better with that. So I just like that part of the story." Series creator Jason Keller, who also co-penned the screenplays for films Mirror Mirror and Ford v Ferrari, has described Pryce as being at "a place in his life where the story he tells himself no longer works anymore". Wilson quickly came to mind for the part — as did Maron for Mitts — but as the former flags, he's not the only one in need of a new start in Stick. Accordingly, this ragtag crew's journey shares a key commonality with the path of every ball hit on a green: trying to find where they fit. Grief, loss, disappointment, unreasonable expectations and life's unfair twists have haunted this group, leaving them searching for their own niche. Stick is also about caring, even if that means that sometimes that heartbreak or other negative emotions arise as a result. Greer's only experience of the show's main sport going in was "watching my father come home after playing golf in the worst mood I've ever seen a man be in in his life", and so would think to herself "as a child, 'why would anyone do this to themselves? Why?'," she explains. Wilson has the perfect take on that. "Is it that thing of 'it's better to feel bad than not feel anything at all?'. So, rather than just being kind of an automatron, like sometimes we can get into, maybe feeling terrible is good?" he notes. "Because the idea that you care about something, that something has the ability to make you feel that way — because if it can make you feel that bad, well, there's going to be a day where you do connect and it's going to make you feel really good." That insight is indicative of a series lead who Maron notes is "a collaborative guy" and "always willing to work with you and elevate the scene", Treviño describes as eager to "engage emotionally and in the level of comedy that we had to do it, but also on the human level" — and who Dager, who secured the part of Santi via a self-tape audition after the producers had looked at around 600 other actors, advises that he learned from in a similar way that his character does from Pryce. We also spoke with Wilson, Dager, Maron, Treviño and Greer about everything from Dager's pivotal casting to golf's lessons (and golfing lessons), underdog stories, RV life, intergenerational tension and more. On What It Meant to Dager to Score Such a Key Role in Stick Peter: "I couldn't quite believe it. I still remember the day — I got cast the day after my 21st birthday. I was with my dad and I got the call from Jon and Val [Ruby Sparks and Battle of the Sexes' Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris], the directors and executive producers, and I just really couldn't believe it. But it was such a long audition process. I think there were six rounds. And so by the time I had finished the audition process, I'm like 'I know I did good work. If it goes my way, it does. And if it doesn't, I did what I could'. And so I was also just, when I got it, I was kind of like 'okay, cool'. I couldn't believe it, but then there was another part of me that was like 'cool, I feel like I earned this one, and they saw what they needed to see'. And I was excited to get started. I was so excited to get started, really, more than anything." On How Wilson Approached Portraying Someone Who Is at a Place in His Life Where the Story He Tells Himself No Longer Works Anymore Owen: "You know, Jason didn't say that exactly to me, but that sounds really nice, and I feel it when you say it. And I don't know — I know that initially I was sort of nervous about playing a golfer, because my dad was a good golfer, I'd never learned the game and 'oh, how do you make it seem kind of real?'. But of course, golf's just the backdrop for the story and Jason really had a lot of faith in me that gave me confidence that maybe I could do it and play the character. And there's a lot of stuff with Pryce that I could kind of relate to — that wanting a second chance or feeling that you need somebody to believe in you, that you can't do it alone. I think that's a powerful message. And so I really like that part of the story, because I find it funny and also moving." On Maron Being Thought of Quickly as Stick's Ideal Mitts Marc: "I think I have a fairly varied and broad personality, but I think one of the more compelling elements is my ability to be pretty cranky and irritated. And I think people find that entertaining. So he clearly locked in on that. But I do think he also sensed that there was a depth to it, in that I was able to handle the emotional side of this guy, along with being my cranky self. And I appreciate that. But I'm not as cranky as Mitts. I'm not." On What Dager Was Excited to Bring to the Role of Stick's Teenage Golf Prodigy Peter: "I think the first thing that I really was excited to dive into was the idea of greatness and playing a prodigy — playing somebody who's spoken about as the next Tiger Woods, somebody with all this potential and all this talent. And so the idea of what greatness is and what it takes, the sacrifices you make to achieve it, the negative impacts that it can have once obtained — all of that was super interesting to me. And so I started to examine my own life and see the similarities, what I could take. The rest, I had to imagine. And then beginning to study golf, and the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and Jack Nicklaus and all the greats, that was just so exciting. And then the rest of it, everything else that came after that was a plus — meeting everybody, meeting Owen, Lilli, Marc, Mariana, Tim [Olyphant, Havoc]. But at first, the exciting thing was the idea of greatness — playing somebody great." On What You Learn About Not Just Golf But Life When You're Trying to Pick Up the Sport Owen: "Oh gosh, we were joking — we've joked a lot today about golf being a metaphor for life. And I think doesn't it seem like everything that you say is a metaphor for life is always something hard, and is frustrating and challenging? And so I think that it's a game that you can't seem to master — so someone like Tiger Woods, as great as he was, can still feel that he needs to redo his swing. And so it's like chess — you can't kind of ever totally figure it out. And the thing for me was learning that this thing, this sport that I was kind of intimidated by, that I actually can do it. But it's two steps forward, one step back — or one step forward, two steps back — because there's some days where I just can't do it. But it's definitely something that I will be playing the rest of my life. And so I'm so happy that I learned for this show." On the Keys to Portraying Determination for Treviño When That's Such a Pivotal Character Trait for Elena Mariana: "I think it's just the force that is with a mother that wants to make her son go in the right path — to save the family, and to save and to keep moving. I think they're in kind of a desperate moment when the show starts. Maybe not desperate, but they're a little stuck and stagnant because they don't know where to pull after a big loss that they had as a family. So I think that the mother's instinct just says 'this is not right, we are not living as we should and he's not owing up to a talent, the natural-given talent that he has'. So I think that determination is not even rational with Elena. It just is a force working inside of her, just because she has her son's best interest in heart and she's going to do whatever — even if she doesn't understand, if she doubts what she's doing is right, the determination is stronger than her doubts, and it's what makes this force of movement, and to embark on this journey and this adventure of self-discovery." On What It Takes to Believably Portray a Phenomenal Golfing Talent, to the Point of Doing Golf Scenes Yourself, When You've Never Played Before — and Only Had Baseball Experience to Go On Peter: "It took a while. It took a while. I don't think I felt — I don't think I saw my progress until maybe three weeks in. And it wasn't because I was hitting the ball good, because I would go out and play with my first trainer named Beau Lardner. It was moreso because I felt the swing feel comfortable. I felt it becoming a fluid motion. And it wasn't always there. I was still going outside in, instead of inside out, but I was getting the rhythm of the swing, the club speed. So three weeks into it, I was starting to see the progress. But I didn't feel ready up until maybe two months into it, so we had already started filming. But by the time we get to episode five, six and seven — and really eight and nine, where you see Santi playing golf for two whole episodes — a lot of those shots are my own because that was done with like five months of training, four months of training. And by then, my club speed was up, the striking distance was sort of increasing and I felt really good with my swing. And yeah, actually a lot of the baseball, that sort of inside out that you have naturally when swinging a baseball bat, it really lends itself to the process of swinging a golf club." On Why Sports-Centric TV Comedies Telling Underdog Stories Keep Popping Up on Maron's Resume Marc: "No, I didn't seek out any of it. GLOW was this a random audition that I put on my phone. I think those two guys are slightly different types of cranky. I think that Sam in GLOW had no real self-awareness around his swagger, his ridiculous swagger, and he wasn't really neurotic at all. And I think that Mitts is a very reflective guy, and a guy who sits in a certain amount of sadness. But I guess they are of the same spectrum of bravado on some level — of kind of slightly futile bravado, you know." On How Dager Learned From His Co-Stars Like Wilson, Greer, Maron, Treviño and Kay Peter: "Everybody has their own process with acting, which was really cool, because I have my own — and I can think it's so special, and you're like 'oh my god, they don't work like I do', but everybody's different process and encountering it and being around it for four months straight, it's a lesson in perspective. And you start to really question your own process, and you see the benefits of other people's. So you learn a lot without even having conversations about it. You just learn a lot by watching these people who have worked for so long approach the work the way they approach the work. But yeah, then there were moments with Owen specifically, where that Pryce-Santi relationship really became real off camera. Especially early on when — Owen's a great leader, he knew exactly when to give me a talk, and it always felt natural because he wanted to. He was compelled to. It never felt forced. And he wasn't absent either. It was a sort of perfect mix of both. Yeah, him especially, it was truly a treat to work with him because of that, that mentorship." On What Treviño Learned From Working with Dager Mariana: "A lot. Of course, as an actor, we're always constantly learning from each other. It doesn't matter your experience, your age, because it's a human interchange of emotions and contents that sometimes you're not even very conscious of. So many things come into play when you are making a scene come alive that it's really beyond what you think of experience. It is about experience, because it's the contents of your soul that are being exchanged and shaped into this reality. But Peter, he's a lovely young man. He's super mature. He's very outspoken. He has a wonderful, joyful personality. And he's really, really smart — and he was really keen into getting into something with all his heart. He played golf all the time while we were in Vancouver. His determination as an actor to get it right — to not play confidence, but to experience it doing golfing himself — I love that. So I learned that from him, among many other things. And how you have to be very approachable, because you don't know where the exchange is going to happen. And he's like that — he's a very approachable person and actor, he's very open, and that I think sometimes it's important for things to be discovered." On How Wilson Worked Through the Emotional Journey of Playing Ex-Spouses with Greer Owen: "I know that Judy and I, that we had no problem connecting — just we were sort of on the same wavelength with sense of humor. And I think when you're on the same wavelength sense of humour-wise, it means that you're also same wavelength sensitivity-wise. And so I think it was easy for us — or not easy, but when we had to do some of the emotional stuff, because I'm clearly still in love with her, she's kind of moved on, it was easy for me to feel those things and to see that in her. So it was just, for us, lucky casting that we had Judy doing it." On Dager's Task Juggling the Many Facets of Santi, Including His Talent, Growing Up Fast, Being Temperamental and His Coming-of-Age Journey Peter: "I think it's just taking the moment as it is. Being in each moment, exploring that moment to your fullest as an actor, just finding everything you can in that moment. And with TV and film, it's a luxury because you get to repeat the moment, so you find things and you can find a way to put them into the next take. But rather than worrying about a general story arc, if you just can concentrate on the moment that you're trying to execute and explore and bring to life, you've just got to hope and pray that when you see the final cut, every moment was explored to its possibility, and when they're all cut together you see the whole thing pan out. But yeah, that's the sort of mindset I would approach it with, focusing on the moment rather than feeling 'man, I have to play with all these things and have a balancing act'. Now, there are things that you have to remember that you've said in other scenes, but that's more than nitty gritty and very specific moments. But focusing on the moment is the more general approach that I had." On Stick's Intergenerational Tension — and Why That Clash Is Such a Go-To On-Screen Owen: "Well, with working with Peter and with Lilli, who play Santi and Zero, I think it's that familiar generational argument — that one generation thinks the other generation doesn't get it, had it too easy, and so that plays out with how I am struggling to connect with Santi. And with Zero. And I think it's hopefully funny, their inability to connect. And then I think there's some moving stuff when any human beings try to connect. And so that's certainly there, and that struggle for us that we have to kind of connect — and that's good." Judy: "I think it's always funny to watch two different generations duke it out, and argue with each other and try to decide who is more right. I don't know why. I just think that's universal comedy to me." On the RV Having Such a Pivotal Part in the Series Marc: "I feel like just the idea of a confined space with people who were relative strangers brought up the stakes of their ability to connect and interact — and overcome minor obstacles, because you are in this space. And I think the RV, for my character, carried a lot of emotional weight. And I think that the nature of the RV as a character was really taking Mitts out of his grief. There's a lot of reference to it being a mausoleum to his wife, who passed away. I don't think that spoils anything. So it was pretty loaded for Mitts. But it was also like it was an adventure, and you were being taken to all these different places and all these different environments. So it was a fairly complex character in the show." Mariana: "And it's also the idea of the moving home. These characters decide to embark on this journey in this car that is really becoming a home for them. And that is like a tiny home — they all sleep there, they cook. So it becomes, without them knowing, their place of safety and comfort during this whole journey. And it becomes a home for this new found family that is being created. And so of course it's a really important character, a really important presence in the show, because of the symbolic meaning of this — the idea that even if you're out there in the wilderness, you can find a family and they will all unite with a common purpose. And they become your allies in this confined space. All of a sudden we're all here — and you see that on top of the RV, we're allies, and outside we become allies, too." Stick streams via AppleTV+.
If you're wistfully dreaming of a Parisian jaunt but the purse strings aren't allowing it, there is a solution a little closer to home. Jardin St James not only boasts a delightful menu of French fare but also has one of the best locales in the city — the café set up in the courtyard and crypt of the St James' Anglican church on King Street back in 2015. Sydney Restaurant Group (Aqua Dining, LuMi, Ripples) is behind this venture and ensures the menu extends well beyond the traditional religious diet of fish and loaves of bread (although baguettes make an appearance, of course). Breakfast diners can enjoy all manner of pastry-laden delights. The Seine won't seem so far away when you're feasting on a pain au chocolat and Little Marionette coffee. Meanwhile, lunch features more French classics — Niçoise salad, beef tartare and several varieties of the aforementioned baguettes.
Ever since we first visited the Eveleigh Creative Precinct, a newly developed arts and culture precinct in Redfern, to check out the Cake Wines Cellar Door, we knew the space was in for something special. And Henry Lee's is the latest delicious tenant to open its doors in the creative hub. Preceded by the recent launch of the cellar door and design spaces by Frost Collective and Massive Interactive, this new concept cafe is in great company — and it's bringing even more local talent into the mix. The kitchen is all about seasonal produce, sustainable living and supporting the area's ever-expanding creative populous, whether it be in the food and drink industry, or arts and culture. Keeping it local may be the trend of the moment (and one that's supported by CP), but Henry Lee's is certainly putting their own distinct spin on the concept — one we haven't seen in many other cafes. Think dishes of beef cheeks braised and smoked in Grifter Brewing Co.'s watermelon pilsner ($23) and a burger using LP's Quality Meats' maple bacon and a coffee-infused bacon jam ($16). The dreamy menu doesn't stop the local love there though, with the absurdly good-looking Push the Sky Away Porridge made using Urban Beehive's thyme honey, and the Polly Jean, which features salmon cured with citrus and Poor Toms Gin ($19). With coffee by boutique Sydney roasters The Little Marionette, an entire menu of chai teas and complimentary sparkling water for each table, they're certainly serving up the goods. This well-crafted menu is no surprise from founders Kath and Aaron Devaney, who have owned and operated two well-regarded cafes on the Central Coast (Black Treacle Cafe & Bakery and Long Jetty's Green Tangerine) and are sincerely passionate about the artisanal vibe. With local produce used this intricately, you can tell the Devaneys are genuine about supporting locals businesses and creating a self-sustainable community.
If you're looking for a place with history in this fair city of ours, this lavish abode has plenty. Dating back to the mid-1800s, Elizabeth Bay House was once known as the 'finest house in the colony' — a label earned due to its furniture, its staircase, its views over Sydney Harbour and, well, its all-round extravagance. Its sprawling 54-acre garden may no longer exist but, all these years later, you can still tour the premises and see the house's opulence for yourself. If you're feeling particularly flush, it's available to hire for events as well. Images: Tony Yeates, Peter Solness / Destination NSW.
Sue and Russell Parsons opened the Central Coast's gourmet cheese factory eight years ago and in that time it's amassed awards for 12 varieties of cheddar, haloumi, curd cheese and a blue that, we're told, even the most mouldy cheese averse will love. Little Creek Cheese can be found the Old Wyong Milk Factory once stood, which was the first dairy in the country to commercially produce yogurt, and so it also makes a creamy yogurt in the old dairy factory's honour. [caption id="attachment_776741" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] You can drop into the factory in Wyong to taste its lemon myrtle and mountain pepper fetta, garlicky labne, or gin-flavoured cheddar (yep) — or any of the other flavours on offer. A 30-minute private tasting with the cheesemaker is $20 per person in which you'll get to sample ten of its cheeses. For a more hands-on tour, book into the Cheese Experience for $110 and you'll get to make your own ricotta and paneer as you learn about the humble beginnings of the artisan cheese factory. Images: Kitti Gould
Emerging out of China as one of the nation's up and coming artists, Sun Xun is headed to the Museum of Contemporary Art for his first ever Australian solo exhibition. Best known for his intricate animations made from thousands of ink paintings, charcoal drawings and woodcuts, for this special exhibition, he'll be creating a enormous 40-metre-long bark paper painting from a series of woodcuts. His handmade films, often littered with sporadic dialogue, combine text, sound and images to explore concepts about truth and memory, as well as history, culture and politics. Sun Xun will takes over the MCA's level one North and South Galleries, and he'll also be sticking around at the gallery for a one-week residency. Throughout the opening week of the exhibition, the public will get a chance to see Sun Xun in action as he creates an original ten-metre-long painting, which will be in response to his time spent in Sydney. Also, don't miss this emerging artist in conversation with MCA Curator Anna Davis, where he'll discuss the influences and ideas behind his compelling works. Images: Sun Xun, Who First Saw the Stars? 2018; Sun Xun, 21 Grams 2010; Sun Xun, Maniac Universe 2018; Sun Xun Newspaper Paintings 2015–18. Photographer: Jacquie Manning. All images courtesy of the artist and Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney.
While the Sydney CBD is rising like a phoenix from the ashes of the lockout laws and Western Sydney just keeps getting better and better, the Sydney suburbs that might just be having the biggest hospo boom right now could be Balmain/Rozelle. The peninsular has welcomed back historic pubs and seen luxe French diners pop up — and now, Casa Esquina, a fresh Argentinian joint from the Tequila Mockingbird and Esteban team, is about to swing open its doors. Opening on Thursday, February 15, the new arrival has taken over the historic Elliot Street space formerly occupied by Efendy and L'Unico. The focus here is flame-grilled feeds, with Head Chef Will Quartel and Atticus Hospitality Director Michael Fegent perfecting the art of the char during their time traveling through Argentina and cooking in the Australian outback. The kitchen at Casa Esquina is built around a huge open-flame parrilla grill, while out in the courtyard you'll find a barbecue spit — both of which will be firing on all cylinders, cooking high-quality meats and a variety of veggies. Torched bonito, pork chicharron, charcoal sweet potato and a variety of house sausages all grace the menu, alongside a sizeable steak selection ranging from tajima wagyu picanha to one-kilogram 60-day dry-aged angus ribeye. You can even order a whole suckling pig if you've got a spare $400 to splash. There are plenty of enticing accompaniments to the flamed-grilled menu items. You can kick your meal off with oysters or beef tartare with caperberry and pickled mushroom; order a selection of empanadas including a kangaroo and maraschino cherry variety; and pair your mains with a rocket and watercress salad, Old Bay seasoned fried and fugazzeta, an Argentinian-style stuffed pizza. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the team will be prepping the courtyard barbecue during the day and serving street eats for locals who are after a quick midweek lunch. And, on Sundays a whole lamb or pig will be cooked on the parrilla grill, introducing a fresh element to the menu. Atticus Hospitality's Paddington fave Tequila Mockingbird may have top-notch eats, but it's also known for its creative drinks menu, which the Group Bar Executive Mark Crawford has transferred over to Casa Esquina. There are plenty of nods to the group's first venue on offer, and you can even order the signature Tequila Mockingbird cocktail. There are also a few new takes on Argentinian classics. The Fernet Royale is an ode to the Fernet-Branca and Coke, a mainstay in Argentina. Casa Esquina brings the combo to Balmain with the addition of Cynar, a secret Buenos Aires bitters blend and a charred Coca-Cola foam. Head Sommelier Sophie Gitterle is in charge of the wines, with a big focus on Argentinian drops. Gitterle and Group Sommelier Chesterton Cook have been working with South American importers to craft a list that represents the area and acts as the perfect partner to the flame grill. All of this is housed within a vibrant multi-space venue. Take your pick from the ground-floor dining room and courtyard, ground-floor bar, mezzanine private dining room/wine cellar, first-floor restaurant and shady al fresco balcony. Adding to the lived-in feel of the longstanding building is a pair of 80-year-old camphor laurel trees that grow through the balcony and shade the first-floor tables. "Casa Esquina is a testament to the remarkable bones of the building, its beautiful courtyard and a salute to the lively community that surrounds it," says Fegent. "Balmain is especially close to my heart — I'm a Balmain local, and my son goes to school here. I remember the old days when the area was pumping and I want to contribute to bringing that back — now is the time with Casa Esquina." "The venue is elevated but approachable — a sophisticated take on Argentinian fire-cooked food but with a friendly, local and approachable vibe. We are putting a lot of emphasis on creating an offering where people can come in and have a well-priced meal on a Tuesday night or go all out on the weekend or for a special occasion — there's something for everyone!" Casa Esquina is located at 79 Elliot Street, Balmain. It will open on Thursday, February 15. For more information and to make a booking, head to the restaurant's website.
Take a moment to appreciate life and reflect on important relationships at HIDDEN — a series of sculptures and artworks displayed throughout the expansive Rookwood Cemetery. Now in its 13th year, the unique annual event will feature multidisciplinary works by over 40 artists at one of the country's oldest cemeteries. Alongside established and emerging artists, HIDDEN will showcase five works from schools and seven stonemasons in a new category this year. The sculptures tie in with the setting at Rookwood and explore stirring themes such as remembrance, spirituality, time, cultural practices and loss. [caption id="attachment_921129" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Your one wild and precious life' (2022) by Karen Golland[/caption] Visitors can explore the grounds on their own with the option to follow an audio guide or delve deeper with a curator tour or artist talk. There is also a d/Deaf-led tour available. HIDDEN is open from sunrise to sunset with free entry from Saturday, October 21, until Sunday, November 19. Make a day trip of it with the family (furry friends included). You'll find plenty of free parking along Hawthorne Avenue, Necropolis Drive and opposite All Souls Chapel and Rookwood Village Cafe serves coffee, snacks and lunch until 3.30pm daily. Find out more at the HIDDEN in Rookwood website. Entry is free, but you can reserve a slot at the event website. Top image: 'The Red Shoes Vanitas' by Cybele Cox
Darling Square's popular izakaya Nakano Darling is going big this month with a series of five one-off meals curated by local Japanese chefs. If you're after a memorable Japanese meal, take your pick from one of these inventive displays of Japanese cooking ranging from yakitori omakase through to ox-tongue curry. Billed as Nakano Invites, the event will run from Sunday, April 17 through to Thursday, April 21, bringing together Sydney's Japanese hospitality community after a tough two years for the industry. Participating chefs include Ken Takenaka (Jicca Dining), Kenta Hatamoto (Yakitori Yurippi), Jun Okamatsu (Kurumac), Yuki Ishikawa (Jazushi) and Iwao Yamanishi (Spanish Sakaba) serving up his Spanish-Japanese fusion. Other highlights from the menus include Yamanishi's renowned ox-tail ramen, two set menus from Takenaka and an eight course dinner with accompanying jazz from Ishikawa. Topping the whole thing off, Musubiya's founders Hiro and Ritusko Kawabata will be serving up Japanese breakfast sets featuring omusubi (or onigiri as it's also known) every day of the activation from 8am through to 2pm. "When you eat our Omusubi, we want you to feel 'at home' and to bring you back to Japan. When you eat our Omusubi we want you to come back for more. That's the kind of Omusubi we serve and want you to try," Kawabata said. Dive into the full program of Nakano Darling Invites events via the restaurant's website. [caption id="attachment_850150" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Oxtail ramen[/caption]
When the ABC announced that Spicks and Specks would return in 2024 after sitting 2023 out, it was big news, as anything to do with the hit Australian take on the UK's Never Mind the Buzzcocks always is. IRL, here's something just as exciting: the Brisbane-born and -based Not on Your Rider is also back for this year, although it didn't take a year off. On the agenda: playing a music quiz show filled with well-known faces live not just in the River City, but also in Sydney and Melbourne as well. And yes, the audience gets to play, too. You'll be peering at a stage, rather than a screen. You'll be answering questions, of course. And if it has you thinking about pub trivia nights, they don't include The Creases' Aimon Clark — who is also behind Isolation Trivia — hosting, or Patience Hodgson from The Grates and Jeremy Neale from Velociraptor captaining the two teams, let alone a heap of entertainment-industry guests. At past events, guests have included Murray Cook from The Wiggles, Broden Kelly and Mark Samual Bonanno from Aunty Donna, Boy Swallows Universe author Trent Dalton, Agro, Cal Wilson, Ben Lee, Steven Bradbury, Kate Miller-Heidke, Robert Irwin, Ranger Stacey, Craig Lowndes and Tim Rogers. Among the other musicians who've featured, Powderfinger, Dune Rats, DZ Deathrays, Ruby Fields, Ball Park Music, The Jungle Giants and The Go-Betweens have all had members take to the stage. Brisbane's 2024 season kicked off in mid-February, and now has seven more dates locked in for the rest of the year, all at The Triffid. Yes, given there's a Thursday, October 31 event, you can probably expect another Halloween celebration. And, come Thursday, December 19, a Christmas show as well. In Sydney and Melbourne, Not on Your Rider has a show in each city locked in. For the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, it's popping up on Thursday, April 18 at Brunswick Ballroom. And at Sydney's equivalent, head to Factory Theatre on Sunday, May 5. Here's how it works: Not on Your Rider takes something that everyone loves — showing off their music trivia knowledge — and dials it up a few notches. While the two on-stage teams are always filled with musos, comedians, drag queens and other guests, anyone can buy a ticket, sit at a table and answer questions along with them. The quiz element is accompanied by chats about the music industry, plus other mini games involving attendees. Not on Your Rider 2024 Dates: Brisbane: Thursday, April 4 — The Triffid Thursday, May 9 — The Triffid Thursday, June 13 — The Triffid Thursday, August 1 — The Triffid Thursday, September 12 — The Triffid Thursday, October 31 — The Triffid Thursday, December 19 — The Triffid Melbourne: Thursday, April 18 — Brunswick Ballroom Sydney: Sunday, May 5 — Factory Theatre Not on Your Rider's 2024 season runs on various dates until Thursday, December 19 at The Triffid in Brisbane, and on one-off occasions in Sydney and Melbourne. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the Not On Your Rider website. Images: Dave Kan / Bianca Holderness.
Experience the breathtaking beauty of the Dharawal National Park, on a new kind of nature tour that invites you to make use of more than just your eyes. Held on Saturday, December 16 and again on Saturday, January 20, the Summer Series Sensory Walks will be led by a qualified park ranger and will call on each of the five human senses. Over the course of the 90 minute walk, guests will take in the sounds of nature, smell and touch the vegetation, and chow down on a number of tasty bush treats. In addition to the Sensory Walks, the little-known nature park – which is located roughly 90 minutes outside of central Sydney – also offers indigenous walking tours on the second Saturday of every month between February and November.
If you're after a traditional Italian grocer, look no further than Quattro Deli in Chatswood Chase. The delicatessen sources local and imported specialty items, offering a huge range of cheeses — think Italian gorgonzola, buffalo mozzarella and plenty of washed-rind numbers — and heaps of Italian cured meats, including salami, mortadella and prosciutto. Its impressive selection also extends to olives, antipasti, jams, spreads, fresh pasta and sauces. You can grab desserts aplenty, too, including Italian nougat, biscuits, chocolates and other packaged sweets. If that's not enough, a huge cellar features vinos from Italy, France, South America and Spain, along with Australia and New Zealand. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
